The Konsumgenossenschaft Leipzig can join the Edeka group. The Federal Cartel Office has approved the merger, as the authority announced in Bonn on Wednesday. When a medium-sized competitor slips under the umbrella of one of the big four food groups, a very careful examination is required, said the President of the Federal Cartel Office, Andreas Mundt. "Nevertheless, the conditions for prohibiting the project were not met in this case." Consumers in the region will still have sufficient shopping alternatives after the merger.
According to the Bundeskartellamt, this is the first time that an independent retailer joining the Edeka group has been assessed and examined as a merger subject to control. The decisive factor was that Konsum Leipzig, as a member of the cooperative, would in future be subject to the uniform management of the Edeka group. Under antitrust law, the association forms an economic unit with the regional companies and independent retailers.
According to the antitrust authority, Konsumgenossenschaft Leipzig eG has around 29,000 members and operates around 60 predominantly small-scale food retail locations in Leipzig, Halle and the surrounding area. There is also an online delivery service, although this only accounts for a very small proportion of sales. Konsum Leipzig already purchases a large proportion of its goods from Edeka. In 2023, Konsum generated gross sales of around 200 million euros. According to Edeka, the Leipzig Konsum stores "will be operated in the same structure as before and will continue to operate under the "Konsum Leipzig" brand".
According to the Cartel Office, the Edeka Group is the leading provider of food retail in Germany with a nationwide distribution network of around 11,000 locations. In 2023, it generated sales of more than 70 billion euros.
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